Southport shopkeeper finds snake sleeping in his shop window

A SOUTHPORT shopkeeper got a shock when he found an exotic animal sleeping in the window of his TV repair store.

Ian Hayward found a corn snake resting at the bottom of the window in his shop door between the security grille and the glass.

He told the Visiter: “At first I thought it was plastic, but I touched it and it jumped – it’s the last thing you expect opening up in the morning.”

Ian told neighbouring shop owner Gary Barnett of Barnett Building Contractors and they called in the RSPCA.

Gary said: “The RSCPA turned up straight away. There was no way of removing the snake from the window, so I got a pair of wire cutters and cut along the grill then the inspector was able to remove the animal.

“I wasn’t scared but it is a very bizarre place for a snake to be, it must have been trying to keep warm.”

RSPCA inspector Ian Robertson took the animal to the vet, but they did not have the correct facilities to care for it.

So Insp Robertson took the snake to Home Safari, based on the Birkdale Trading Estate.

‘Safari’ Steve Mannion has over 30 years experience working with exotic pets and reptiles.

Insp Robertson said: “Steve has an excellent set-up, which is perfect for looking after the corn snake. If an owner doesn’t claim him, Steve will look after him.”

Steve added: “It’s an amel corn snake about 12 months old, well-fed, in good health and about 18 inches long.

“It must belong to someone because it is used to being handled.

“Young people tend to keep these pets and don’t realise how fast they can be. It only needs the vivarium to be left open a fraction of an inch and they are off.

“This one has a good weight so it’s probably not been missing for long. In captivity they eat defrosted mice and should be fed every five to seven days.

Steve said that corn snakes can grow to an average of four feet long and are completely harmless.

“They are very active snakes and don’t usually bite. If no one comes forward to claim him, I will keep him and use him to educate children how to look after these sorts of creatures properly.”